


Upgraded

by LexaWard



Category: Doctor Who (2005), Sherlock (TV), Tenth Doctor - Fandom
Genre: 10th Doctor - Freeform, Alternate Universe, Angst, Established Relationship, M/M, Parallel Universe, Rose Tyler - Freeform, Smut too, Sub characters, There is plenty of happy fluff build up, also, seriously, tenth doctor - Freeform, this does not have a happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-29
Updated: 2014-08-29
Packaged: 2018-02-15 05:18:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2217165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LexaWard/pseuds/LexaWard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In another parallel universe, John is up against the clock as Cybermen invade and use the Earpods to take Sherlock and he has to get him back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This entire fic came about because of purrlockholmes’ fanart – THIS IS A SPOILER BTW (but I’m pretty sure I gave away most of it in the tags): http://purrlockholmes.tumblr.com/post/93874362724/darafeth-empiresprincess-cupidmike - which hit me like a sack of bricks. My friend kept saying ‘don’t do the thing’ because I’m the only one who can make her cry with my angst, so of course I’ve done the thing. I did get permission to do this because I don’t know fanfic etiquette that well.
> 
> Also because I tend to forget to put up chapters and such and this is actually completed and edited (once, I usually miss something) I'm uploading it all at once.

It was the 13th May when John woke up and stretched out on the lavish Egyptian cotton sheets that he had coveted for years. He had been to hell and back with Sherlock and it had only been timing before they fell into each other and never let go. It had been edging two years since Sherlock had finally just said to hell with it and pushed John against the table claiming him in every way possible. John _loved_ it. Last night had been particularly fantastic because it had been post case which meant now he got to do his utterly favourite thing to do. He picked up a pair of boxers that were his and Sherlock’s blue robe that wasn’t his and walked out from _their_ bedroom and turned on the kettle. Now this would be a normal morning except on post case mornings there was always that pesky paperwork that needed to be done which meant Gregory Lestrade, Sally Donovan, and a couple of other badges would be in their living room getting all the case details off of Sherlock; hence would be witness to this. The best part? They didn’t even notice it. _They were used to it!_ If that didn’t put a spring in John’s step then something was seriously wrong with the man.

The only difference with the man in the kitchen and the people in the living room is that the people in the living room had little grey Earpods with blue flashing lights on them. John didn’t see any point in them really, he got all the same information on his phone. Although it was fun messing about with Sherlock when he was receiving his daily download. The amount of times John had taken Sherlock’s phone and hidden it when he ignoring him was glorious.

John made his cup of tea and placed one down before Sherlock, kissed his temple ‘morning’ and went back into the kitchen to see if they had any bread left for some toast. He could feel the unworn smile in Sherlock’s tone as he talked to the Yarders and suddenly became much faster in his explanation. John chuckled at the sudden hurry knowing exactly what his boyfriend was after and now it was a game of how quickly could Sherlock finish before John managed to make it through breakfast and into the shower. Unfortunately for Sherlock he’d left Lestrade out of the loop for a lot of the details in the case and the man knew why he was rushing so as revenge was purposely asking him to repeat parts so John could slip away. Frustration resonated around the flat and John was still laughing when he got out of the shower and was in the process of drying himself off when a mass of six foot detective came into the bedroom, knocked John onto the bed and followed him. His mouth was ravished and his knees knocked apart making John very aware of how naked he was.  
   “Post-case.” Sherlock said inhaling desperately and closing his mouth over John’s. Hands came up under Sherlock’s arms and thighs tightened over Sherlock’s own as they rolled over so John was on top.  
   “I have work. The reason you had me last night, remember?” Of course Sherlock did that’s why he was so adamant to get John in the shower but he’d missed his window.  
   “You can sort out the sheets. They’re soaked now.” John nodded to where Sherlock has basically dump tackled him to try and make him forget about work. John smiled and lowered his mouth to Sherlock’s neck and kissed it lightly.  
   “Be good and I’ll bring that Thai you like before fucking you into the mattress. Mm?” The responding keen was John’s answer and he climbed off of Sherlock and got completely dried before starting to get dressed. He was buttoning up his shirt when he noticed Sherlock had propped himself up on his elbow and was openly letting his eyes wander up and down John’s exposed skin. John never got over just how deeply Sherlock’s eyes bore into him, even after all this time. He turned fully dressed and Sherlock had a half smirk and full bulge look on him to which John scoffed.  
   “You’re not half as enticing as you think you are like that.” John teased picking up his bag from the floor and leaving the room to an offended Sherlock who followed after him.  
   “Sorry who said who’s arse looked like it was carved by angels?” Sherlock said leaning against the door whilst John hopped down the stairs.  
   “I have no idea _what_ you’re talking about, Sherlock Holmes.” The deep baritone chuckle that he got in response was a sound reserved only for John Watson which showed just how truly happy he was. Halfway down the road John’s phone buzzed and he pulled it out to a text from Sherlock.  
‘You didn’t say you love me, I’m heartbroken. – SH’ John laughed as he held out his hand for a taxi.  
‘Love you, idiot. – JW’ It was ten minutes before his phone buzzed again.  
‘Love you too. – SH’ Then almost immediately it buzzed with another.  
‘Idiot.’ John had a stupid smile on his face for most of the day after that.

That was until the stop and the marching steel.


	2. Chapter 2

At 2:47pm in the afternoon everyone in John’s clinic just stopped. At first he thought it was the daily download but it had already been noon. He was the only one who was still alive in the office and they just _stood_ there. Pulling out his phone it opened up to show the Cybus Network app had overridden his phone and the thing only said ‘Upgrade’ on it. Putting it back into his pocket he walked outside to find everyone suddenly turn towards the Cybus Factory. Then they marched like a command had been given. Like soldiers in a line they followed after one another and went straight towards the factory, even the people in his clinic left.  
   “Sarah?” He asked grabbing her shoulder only to have her still walk off with the rest. Then he heard the hydraulics. The inhuman marching. The metallic voice that made John cringe. He turned around and saw them. Huge men of steel with the Cybus corporation logo stamped on them. John decided it wouldn’t be a good idea being found not following the crowd, so he ducked into the nearest alley and waited for the boots to pass. He walked along as quickly as he could as people walked in the opposite direction right with the metal men. He’d never been one to follow the crowd. That was when it hit him he should be at home.   
   “Sherlock…shit!” He exclaimed before running in the direction of Baker Street along the route to the factory. He found Sherlock half way down Marylebone Road but the man had a row of those machines behind him as he walked with a bunch of other people. He managed to make it back to Baker Street and went in to check on Mrs Hudson she wasn’t there but he sighed in relief when he saw her calendar, which showed she was in the country with her sister.   
   “I have got to talk to her more often.” He steeled himself and crept up the stairs being careful to miss all the rickety floorboards as he climbed to his old room and took out his gun from its hiding place in the wardrobe and loaded it.

John went to the roof of Baker Street and hopped along the roofs as he and Sherlock had done many times before. Except this time he was chasing Sherlock himself. The clock was against John because whatever those things were planning to do they knew it was bad enough that people wouldn’t volunteer themselves for it. He thought about texting Mycroft but thought better about it since his phone was on Cybus Service so he turned it off instead before moving quickly from that sight in case someone was tracking the signal. He moved along the roofs staying away the edge as he caught up with the crowds and continued along trying to find Sherlock again. By the time he ran out of roofs he still hadn’t found the man and a deep ache started to fill his chest as he went back to the ground. Like gravity was getting heavier inside of him the closer he got to the ground. The weight of everything was finally setting in and it was crushingly heavy. His hands trembled before he gritted his teeth and rose the gun the back of the head of one of the machines. Just before he managed to pull the trigger a hand came out and his entire body was jostled backwards.


	3. Chapter 3

He struggled on instinct as the hands clamped on him.  
   “Don’t shoot them…they’ll only take you down.” His hands clenched and eventually he sighed relaxing into the grip which eventually let him go. He tucked the gun back into the back of his trousers.  
   “Thanks, I…went a little out of it. They have my boyfriend.” He said gesturing to the zombies behind him.  
   “So you’re looking for him. Well I’m looking for my Rose as well. I’m the Doctor.” He smiled holding out his hand, John took it holding his head to the side in question.  
   “Doctor John Watson.” The man’s hand tightened in reflex and he his eyes widened.  
   “ _The_ John Watson?” John pulled his hand away and started to wonder if this man in a brown suit was going to murder him and if he had better chances with the robots.  
   “Er…yeah. Do you have an actual name…or…?” The man just could not stop smiling as he let go of John’s hand.  
   “Just the Doctor. _Oh!_ Your _boyfriend_ must be Sherlock Holmes!” He actually squealed and jumped up and down.  
   “Okay…well I’m going to go…” He nodded slowly heading over to the nearest ladder to a roof.   
   “Wait! I think I know how to get to _everyone_ free from Cybermen but I might need someone with some military training.” He said and John narrowed his eyes and the man had a little eureka moment before pulling out a leather wallet with a piece of paper saying he was one of Mycroft’s men.  
   “Oh great, now I have a babysitter(!) Go on then, how has the bigger genius worked out how to free the people for queen and country?” The Doctor lit up and delved into the plan of getting onto the blimp and disabling the transmitter to the people’s Earpods. John pulled out his gun and waved it,  
   “Lucky I have just the thing to disable it.” The Doctor grinned at him but before they continued any further he stopped John.  
   “Don’t use it on the people.” John looked almost offended and pulled away.  
   “Now let’s get one thing straight, I may have been a soldier…” He licked his lips giving the Doctor a stern gaze,  
   “But I was a bloody healer first and unless necessary I don’t fire. Unfortunately with Sherlock it’s insane how often I’ve needed this.” He said putting it in the back of his jeans and pulling his jacket over it.   
   “Now let’s do this.” He nodded with assertion for himself and the Doctor. They headed to the end of the alleyway which had by then been completely cleared of both people and Cybermen.

Getting to the opposite side of the factory on the river they leaned against a picnic bench and watched Lumic’s personal blimp landing.      
   “So where would the transmitter be?” John asked nodding towards the factory.  
   “Right there. Good thing Lumic likes to show off.” The Doctor said pointing to the blimp.  
   “How do we disable it?” The Doctor pulled out his sonic and grinned.  
   “With this, I change the polarity direction and basically reverse the transmission so the Earpods cut out and people get their minds back.” John nodded and then said,  
   “Huh…” He stood up properly and the other furrowed his brows.  
   “What?” The Doctor said feeling a little offended because that didn’t sound remotely impressed.  
   “Nothing it’s just been a while since I’ve had everything explained to me. Feels off.” He said and they both grinned at each other whilst the Doctor pushed off the table and started walking towards the factory.  
   “What is that thing by the way?” John asked and the Doctor waved it.  
   “Oh this…nothing, it’s a sonic screwdriver. Good at opening doors.” He grinned and John nodded as they walked forward. 

Upon the roof of Cybus Corporation head factory they saw two zombies standing next the ladder of the blimp. John took out his gun and the Doctor grabbed his arm pulling him back.   
   “I’m not going to shoot them. What is it with you and guns?!” John whisper shouted before creeping off holding the barrel and whacking them both unconscious swiftly with the butt of the gun. He stood by the ladder and motioned the Doctor over.  
   “Come on.” The suit of fine hair came over after him and was grinning like a madman.  
   “I’m even more impressed than I thought I’d be, John. You excel expectations.” He complimented and John laughed as he started climbing.  
   “Don’t say that in front of Sherlock, he gets jealous adorably easily.” John smiled fondly whilst the Doctor ‘aw’d’ as non-sarcastically as he could muster; he still got a happy eye roll.

Inside the bridge of the blimp they looked around and the Doctor started fiddling and typing rapidly with the main controls. John let him do it, figuring he was muscle and made sure his gun was at hand. Finally coming around the corner of the control room fully he saw a giant metal case behind the Doctor and held up his gun.  
   “ _Jesus!_ Doctor!” He shouted and pointed his gun at it as the man spun around and his head flew back before his eyes narrowed and he stepped forward.  
   “Stand down, soldier it’s just a shell. Prototype.” He said knocking on its head showing it was empty.  
   “See empty. Right, now transmitter.” He went back to the controls and muttered to himself.   
   “Without some serious time I can’t disable it from the controls we have to do it manually.” Before going over to the wall where a big steel slab labelled Transmitter Controls were.  
   “The controls are sealed behind here…I’m going to have to do the override. Sonic not good on welding.” He explained in a rush John was more than accustomed to listening to. He nodded silently and kept his gun by his side whilst the Doctor rapidly typed on the keyboard. Resting by the transmitter controls he steeled himself for the wait like it was a stake-out and automatically let his eyes train on any and all movement. Like the flexing hand on the ‘dormant’ Cyberman.  
   “Doctor! You said it was dead!” He said pointing the gun up as the thing started moving and the Doctor moved over by him.  
   “Machines are still machines. Don’t shoot you won’t even dent it.” John furrowed his brow and pushed the Doctor away.  
   “Alright, hey, Cyberman, over here. Come on, you brainless lump of metal. Come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough!” He shouted as the Cyberman came forwards with its hand outstretched. At the last moment he dived out the same way he’d pushed the Doctor and the hand smashed right into the controls both destroying the machine and controls.

John got up and ran to the window seeing people fleeing in terror and the small amount of Cyberman being literally trampled.  
   “That was…pretty good…I can see why Sherlock likes you.” John turned and actually bristled with the compliment.  
   “I save the lives, he solves the mystery. Let’s go I got to find that idiot genius, knowing him he’ll try and take one of them on.” He shook his head and tucked his gun away and they headed out climbing down the building avoiding the over Cybermen.  
   “Allonsy!” The Doctor said as they ran full speed towards the screaming mass of crowds. John looked to the Doctor as the man slowed.  
   “I have to go find Rose. You go find Sherlock.” John nodded and gave him a smile.  
   “Thank you Doctor. I’ll tell Mycroft to give you a raise.” He laughed and the man nodded laughing himself, almost hysterically, and John decided he genuinely didn’t have time to question it.


	4. Chapter 4

Running towards Baker Street John wrenched his phone out of his pocket and turned it on before dialling Mycroft.  
   “Is he alive?” Were the first words out of his mouth when the dial tone picked up.  
   “He is, although moving rapidly. I can’t get a definite location on his phone. When I do, I’ll let you know. Just get to safety, I will send you an address as soon as I can secure a line.” John nodded knowing he couldn’t be seen but it was instinct.  
   “Give the Doctor a raise, the guy’s as good as you and Sherlock.” John said getting more breathless as the Cybermen regrouped and started sending out troops to force the people.  
   “I don’t have any _Doctor_ on my teams…Oh…wait…was he insane?” Mycroft asked sounding frustrated.  
   “Little bit…yeah…” John asked panting now.  
   “Doesn’t work for me but himself. A good man but not to be trusted entirely, the Doctor lies. Remember that John.” John gave a confirmed grunt before hanging up without a goodbye because you can only run and talk for so long.

Getting to Euston Road John slowed down and went to an alleyway he knew had direct access to Baker Street. He opened his phone and dialled for Sherlock. It rung out and John groaned into the voice mail.  
   “For god’s sake now is not the time to be adverse to goddamn calls. Just let me know you’re alive, _please!_ You know where I’ll be but the lines aren’t secure and I’m pretty sure Lumic’s going to be pissed with me for what I just did.” A minute later he resolved to put his phone away and climb up the building. Halfway up his pocket buzzed and he sighed. Holding onto the ladder he wriggled his phone out of his pocket and looked at the text.   
_‘Alive. What did you do?’_  
John huffed out an exasperated laugh and shook his head before putting his phone away and returned to climbing to the roof.  
   “Saved your bloody life you ungrateful sod.” He muttered angrily to himself and got to the roof before texting Sherlock he was turning off his phone to keep Cybus from spying on him and then went on to do so.

He crept across the roofs keeping well away as Cybermen stormed the streets forcing people in crowds back to the factory by force. He waited until Baker Street had been done before going into 221B from the roof. It was dark by then as he checked 221A, B, and C and finding them all empty. He lied on his old bed that he hadn’t used in years since being with Sherlock and rubbed his face and couldn’t help thinking _‘Thank god, he’s alive.’_ He laughed out in disbelief before carefully going about getting washed with a military precision he hadn’t used since Sherlock’s last triple homicide and put on a clean set of clothes only leaving his shoes off before going to sleep in his old room, where he could escape easily. His gun was close by on the bedside table. It was 2:34am the next morning when he woke up again. He did a quick check he was alone before going to the window and finding people were still being herded. It was a horrible sight and he winced before looking away. There was nothing he could do. Going to the kitchen he didn’t dare make tea and had a bowl of Weetabix before going along the roofs and to a far enough location and turning on his phone again and finding four texts from Sherlock and one from unknown. He read:    
 _‘187 Gower Street – MH’  
_ and then went onto reading Sherlock’s.   
_‘I want a detailed description of your ‘mission’ with this Doctor. Mycroft is being vague with his body language which means he doesn’t know either.’  
_ John smiled at the blatant jealousy,   
_‘I don’t know where you would consider safe at this time. Can’t be Baker, first place they’d look. You shouldn’t be with the Doctor, you wouldn’t trust him enough.’  
_ John smiled at the illogical and therefore logical choice. He liked ‘proper’ geniuses because they always tried to overcomplicate things and then read the one that was sent in the same minute:   
_‘You’d be safer with me than with the Doctor.’  
_ John smiled fondly to one side and finally read the last one.   
_‘Mycroft is being insufferably make him stop. You’re much better company.’_   
John’s grin only widened as the closest confession he’ll ever get to Sherlock saying he missed him before looking carefully over the edge of the roof he was on before he called Sherlock. It picked up in no more than three seconds by John’s count.  
   “John.” John made an affirmative noise.  
   “I can’t get anywhere safer than I am, Cybermen are _everywhere._ ” He said and Sherlock made a frustrated sound that John would never admit that it sounded a lot like Mycroft’s because he’d lose his head.    
   “Tell me where you are. I’ll come to you.” John thought for a second before sighing.  
   “It’s too dangerous. Just stay _home_ and I’ll talk to you when I can, love.” He hoped Sherlock picked up on the blatant sentiment whereas the unemotional machines roaming the streets wouldn’t. That’s when he heard the slamming from the house underneath him.  
   “Shit! Sherlock they’ve found my place, I’ve got to go. I love you!” He said and clicked off before starting to run across the roofs as quickly as he could in the opposite direction to Baker whilst turning his phone off and then doing a loop around the buildings back to 221B.   
   “Thank god for space issues…” John breathed harshly as he checked his phone was actually off and went back to his room and lying down without even taking off his shoes. He fell back asleep exhausted from his late night sprint and frankly the emotional torment the day had been.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut, you guys, smut.

It was possibly half an hour before dawn when he heard the front door open. Sitting up in bed he listened for heavy boots and hydraulics. When that didn’t happen he picked up his gun and avoiding all the creaks in the stairs he knew by heart he slowly crept down them and stopped dead near the bottom, as in the living room stood the silhouette he was so completely accustomed to.  
   “Sherlock…” John said his voice finally betraying every single emotion he’d felt that day. The man turned around and two long strides had John in his arms and was holding tightly against his chest. John returned the hug desperately grappling onto Sherlock like he was about hanging onto him as he hung off a cliff.  
   “I’m home.” Sherlock said and John smiled into his chest because he got the message and then he laughed and hit Sherlock lightly in the arm.  
   “I told you it was too dangerous.” He tried to sound even a little bit angry but just couldn’t do it.  
   “You said _stay home._ So I’m staying home.” He smiled before it dropped.  
   “Who is the Doctor?” He said very serious all of a sudden and John almost said ‘like you pretty much’ but that would open a whole can of worms he didn’t think about.  
   “He helped me destroy the transmitter controls to the Earpods. He helped me save your life.” John said reaching up to Sherlock’s now Earpod-less ears.   
   “I could’ve saved myself I was just waiting.” John laughed and shook his head.  
   “Yes well the other thousands we saved might not have been so in control.” John humoured him and started to lean up to kiss Sherlock.  
   “I said I wanted a detailed…” He trailed off when he realised John was a centimetre from his face and he delved the rest of the way pushing him backwards until the other hit the banister and groaned, opening his mouthed which Sherlock accepted liberally. They kissed for what seemed like an eternity and John broke out laughing and had to break away from Sherlock who couldn’t for the life of him figure out what he’d done. John pulled him into the living room and closed the door as he continued laughing.  
   “Are you alright?” Sherlock tugged on John’s arm and he nodded.  
   “I just remembered what you said…ages ago…oh my god.” He giggled and Sherlock pulled him onto the sofa.  
   “Have you gone insane because we can’t have too mad people living in this flat?” John shook his head and after a while he calmed down enough to kiss Sherlock with a big smile,  
   “No…I remembered when you said England would fall if Mrs Hudson left London. I thought she might hear us on the stairs but she’s in the country with her sister. England fell. It made me laugh.” John scratched his neck in embarrassment and Sherlock smiled before pretty much falling into another kiss with John as warmth spread throughout him.  
   “I love you.” He mumbled against John’s lips and pushed the other back on the sofa.

They were there for a considerable amount of time as the Sun had rose by then. Both John and Sherlock looked utterly debauched as they’d spent a good hour necking each other on the sofa.   
   “Bedroom?” John asked breathing against Sherlock’s slightly numb lips.  
   “God yes. I’ve been hard for half an hour.” John laughed and pulled Sherlock up by his hand and along to their bedroom.

In the morning light John didn’t rush and neither did Sherlock. Sherlock stripped John and kissed every exposed piece of skin he could think of, particularly the scar – although lightly – because he’d always loved it for what it’d given him. He took John’s hand and laced his fingers through it before John started on his shirt buttons with one hand.  
   “Wearing too many damn clothes.” John mumbled as his brows furrowed in concentration. Sherlock grinned and pushed John onto the bed straddling him as he took his time unbuttoning his shirt and letting it slip down his shoulders.  
   “Gorgeous.” John breathed out as Sherlock threw it to the side.  
   “Sexy?” Sherlock asked smirking and John groaned, rolling his hips up, in response. Sherlock grinned triumphantly and crawled backwards off the bed and worked on his belt, trousers, socks and shoes. John watched him intently propping himself on his elbows and smiling lazily.   
   “The world is ending and you’re still teasing me.” John remarked shaking his head. Smile still ever present.  
   “You love it.” Sherlock bit his lip as he slipped his black silk boxers down his hips and swiped them backwards using his bent knee to crawl back on the bed. John licked his lips as Sherlock loomed over him pushing him back down and placing his hands beside John’s head. Sherlock’s ever analytical eyes swept down John’s torso before resting solely on his engorged cock. John liked it when Sherlock lost himself in him. It was amazing to have to have the power to turn that brain and focus it entirely on him. He laid back and spread his legs a little wider,  
   “I’m going to need you to act on some more primal urges now.” John said the smugness evident in his voice as Sherlock made a noise halfway between a yes and a groan. Sherlock’s hands disappeared into the bedside drawer and brought back out the nearly empty bottle of lube.  
   “Should be enough for tonight.” Sherlock stated a little hoarsely. John groaned at the state of arousal his Sherlock was in wrapped his legs around Sherlock’s waist and squeezed.  
   “Hurry up then.” He emphasised his point by rubbing his arse right against Sherlock and the other groaned the lid of the bottle flying into the room forgotten and he coated his hands before going to John’s cleft and pressing against his perineum jolting the other making him arch and moan.  
   “I’m going to break you apart John Watson.” Sherlock promised and John moaned his eyes rolling into the back of his head as Sherlock’s teasing finger rubbing at his puckered hole and John eventually impaled himself on it moaning in satisfaction as Sherlock went on to do exactly as he said. When three fingers were inside John all three rubbing against his prostate and make him buck down onto Sherlock as his cock dripped he started begging incoherently. He was babbling as he properly fucked himself on Sherlock’s hand and hit his own prostate each time.  
   “Yes _more **please**_!” He groaned arching his back and his toes were permanently curled against Sherlock’s back. He writhed and whined as those fingers withdrew and bucked himself trying to get them back. Moaning like the whore he felt he was when Sherlock pressed something considerably larger against his open wet hole he tightened his hold on his legs to anchor himself. Sherlock always lost his self-control inside of John and _John fucking loved it._ Sherlock pushed in and John moaned out as he was filled. John pulled Sherlock into a deep kiss as he rolled his hips both of them moaning obscenely into the kiss. Sherlock started off steadily and eventually it wasn’t enough picking up the pace he started growling and properly pounding into John. Soon enough arching his back to the sensation wasn’t enough and John pulled himself up by the back of Sherlock’s neck so he was seated on Sherlock as he was fucked viscerally. Sherlock’s hand went to his neck and the other wrapped around his waist pushing him up and down. John rested his forehead against Sherlock’s and panted whilst his hands clutched either side of Sherlock’s head. They could hardly breathe actual air; it was just an exchange of each other’s air and eventually they gave up and connected mouths moaning against each other. The hand on John’s neck slid down his body and a thumb caressed his heart quickly before it travelled the rest of his torso and ended up firmly around his cock. With the new sensation of his prostate being hit almost every thrust and combined with being pulled off he came in seconds. John tossed head back and came over their chests as he screamed Sherlock’s name. John’s head dropped against Sherlock’s again and kissed him as he rode his over sensitised orgasm. Sherlock was thrusting up in earnest whilst John clenched down on him making him moan John’s name into his mouth as he crashed with uncontrollable velocity into nothing.


	6. Chapter 6

When Sherlock could recognise objects again he realised two things that usually happened after utterly, tremendously, fantastically, world-changing sex with John, one: John came back first and had already cleaned them both, and two: he was lying half on Sherlock’s chest running his hand on a various part of his body; this time it was his torso.   
   “You back now?” John asked obviously amused.   
   “How long have I been gone?” Sherlock asked because he could not remember anything after everything became nothing. _‘When perfection is achieved.’_ He mused to himself.  
   “About 10 minutes. Glad you woke up then because I was close to giving you a blow job.” John said as simply as he could and Sherlock made a sound that could rival a dying cats.  
   “Next time perhaps.” John pondered aloud and smiled against Sherlock’s rib.  
   “Marry me.” Sherlock said because he really did have world-changing sex. Plus the whole world ending helped him come to proper conclusion on what he’d been thinking for months.   
   “I thought marriage was outdated?” John asked craning his neck to look at Sherlock and god didn’t he look beautiful in the morning light.  
   “I want to say ‘hello this is my husband, John Holmes.’ So marry me.” John looked at him with that ‘you’ve-done-an-odd-thing-but-adorable’ look, where he’d smile but his brows would furrow at the same and in the position of craned neck Sherlock might’ve cooed if he were a lesser man.  
   “That’s the worst proposal I’ve ever heard in my life. No romance with you, is there?” John said sitting up and stretching whilst Sherlock looked at him grinning because it wasn’t a ‘no’. Then a light bulb went off in his head.  
   “How about this?” He said scrambling behind John and going to the bottom drawer and throwing out several papers from old cases and pulling out a small blue box.  
   “Sherlock is that…?” Sherlock sat up straight and opened it to show a silver band with which on the inside was the inscription ‘My Dear Watson, the saviour in my mystery. SH’ He hadn’t actually liked the inscription but it was the kind of thing he thought John would like. It suited the man he loved so he paid extra. John read the inscription and his hands trembled.  
   “You’re serious then…? About this?” John asked his voice betraying how much this affected him.  
   “Of course. John, will you marry me? I really don’t want to ask again and I know-” He was cut off by the lips of one John Watson (soon-to-be-Holmes) and he really wasn’t expecting so was crushed against the bed. It wasn’t all bad I mean he did have John on top of him after all.  
   “Yes. You daft bastard, completely yes.” John grinned into the kiss and Sherlock held John’s hands and with a bit of fiddling considering they were horizontal and at an awkward angle he managed to get the ring on the right finger and then let himself just dissolve into the kiss because John had actually said ‘yes’.


	7. Chapter 7

After a little while they eventually broke out of their sanctuary of bed and came back to the reality of the world ending so they got washed and dressed in new clothes and by midday were ready to face the world again. Or what was still left of it. People were fighting back, of course they were, and for once jumping into the Thames was considered a healthy option. Sherlock explained to John that Mycroft had everything in order to get them out of the city whilst he worked to take the Cybermen out. John was actually surprised Sherlock was willing to back out and he when he asked, Sherlock pulled him against the nearest wall and looked him dead in the eyes.  
   “I cannot lose you.” He had never sounded so serious and so much like a child more than in that sentence and John dropped it. With Sherlock’s master knowledge of London in tow they made it to the safe house easily and John was less than surprised to see The Doctor and a blonde who he assumed was ‘Rose’ talking to Mycroft. John nodded to Sherlock and mouthed ‘Doctor’ and he could see the instant dislike Sherlock had for the man which made John smile to the side.  
   “They’re called Cybermen. They take the brains and put them into a metal box. They aren’t human once they’ve been ‘upgraded’.” Mycroft sat back and looked at his brother.  
   “How do we kill them?” He asked and the Doctor leaned against the desk looking at John instantly his face brightened and he nudged Rose and shot her a knowing look to which she grinned widely.  
   “Is that…?” She asked and he nodded and she gave a little shimmy of happiness her hands clenched into fists as she shook them like she had a pair of mini maracas. John and Sherlock exchanged curious glances and John shrugged.  
   “Who are you two?” Sherlock asked looking at the Doctor with considerable intensity.   
   “Sorry…I’m the Doctor and this is Rose Tyler.” He grinned like a puppy and she waved a little bit.   
   “Wait…as in Pete Tyler?” John asked eyeing her suspiciously.  
   “Yeah…we’re not…I’m not his…It’s complicated.” John folded his arms and furrowed his brows.  
   “Try me.” He said and Mycroft cleared his throat.  
   “Later John. We have a more important crisis than your trust issues.” John gave up and went over to sit on the nearest sofa, Sherlock joining him instantly and he wrapped his hand around John’s rubbing his thumb over the silver band.   
   “So how do we take them out?” Mycroft asked and the Doctor sighed.  
   “When I found Rose I managed to take one of them out, but not completely. I disabled its emotional inhibitor.” He said and Rose cut in.  
   “Her.” They both looked at Rose.  
   “Her name was Sally Phelan. She was engaged to a man called Gareth.” She said and the Doctor smiled to one side before looking back to Mycroft.  
   “Why do they have emotional inhibitors?” He asked and the Doctor started pacing.  
   “They’ve still got a human brain. Imagine their reaction if they could see themselves, realise themselves inside this thing. They’d go insane.” He explained rapidly.  
   “They cut out the one thing that makes them human.” He continued and Rose came in.  
   “Because they have to.” She finished with no small amount of contempt and the Doctor turned looking directly at Mycroft.  
   “If I can get the cancellation code, I could feed it through to every Cyberman and they’d realise what they were…It would make them go insane…and they’d die.” The Doctor sounded rather defeated by the end of it and he looked at Rose who had the same expression and then she minutely nodded and he did the same.  
   “We’ve no choice, we have to do it before they kill everyone and the human race becomes extinct.” He said swallowing thickly and standing back and Mycroft nodded.  
   “We’ve received information on encrypted wavelength six five seven using binary nine named Gemini that this had been in the making for a long while but it was unclear as to what that was. I figured it must have been someone from within the factory and came to conclusion that Peter Tyler was Gemini, not a hard leap. Important enough to be close to Lumic but not important enough to be seen. Hiding in plain sight.” Mycroft explained and Sherlock stood pulling his laptop and slapping his hands away before typing rapidly.  
   “Hacking is such an easy thing to do, especially when you’ve just given me a secret frequency to use to get in.” His eyes moved as rapidly as his hands danced along the keyboard and soon he was into the Cybus Industries locked files. Eventually he ran through the numbers and they stopped at the correct code, he took out his phone and sent the code to his phone.  
   “6879760. Cancellation Code. The downfall of every criminal is that they always set fail safes for themselves and leave it for someone like me to find.” He said and tossed his phone to the Doctor.   
   “Put that into the system from the Control Centre and it’ll kill them all dead.” He said returning to John who lit up and kissed him whispering ‘amazing’ against his lips. Whilst the Doctor and Rose tried not to melt at the sight of them, Mycroft stood up clearly uncomfortable and smiled sardonically.  
   “I could have done that just as easily, Sherlock.” The younger Holmes turned with pursed lips and a bored expression.  
   “Yes, well you didn’t, I did.” Sherlock returned to the laptop as if to prove a point and brought up a floor plan of the factory.  
   “We can break in from the cooling tunnels running underneath the factory. We’ll be able to access the control room via the staircase or the lift and get into the control centre.” At this point John stood,  
   “We?” John asked confused.  
   “The Doctor and I. You’re certainly not coming and I don’t think he’d put Rose into such danger.” Both John and Rose shook their heads in synchronisation.  
   “Funny joke, um, no.” He said lowering his gaze towards Sherlock.  
   “No way am I staying here.” She said looking at the Doctor pointedly and both geniuses sighed.  
   “There’s no way you’re staying here is there?” She shook her head.  
   “That’s about right.” She said and he resigned but Sherlock was adamant.  
   “John I cannot risk you.” Sherlock said pleadingly and John let out a laugh.  
   “Then don’t expect the same of me, it’s both of us or neither of us. Your choice.” He said was Sherlock’s choice but it really, _really,_ wasn’t. Sherlock looked down trying to find another way of placating John when he was nudged by the brown suited man in converse.  
   “Give up, you won’t win.” He warned and Sherlock sighed,  
   “Find all four of us then.” Sherlock agreed and John smiled nodding like it was always going to be that way.


	8. Chapter 8

Inside the tunnels they kept to the non-Cybermen filled side and didn’t start running until they started moving. Sherlock grabbed John’s hand and darted out from the corridors with the Doctor and Rose closely behind. They managed to find a ladder that went up a level and kept going without looking back. Once all four of them had found a place they deemed safe due to lack of metal machines in the corridor they occupied. They had stopped just before a cross junction in the corridors and were stood just inside one of the corridors.  
“We can’t stay here for long. How do we get to the control centre?” John said to Sherlock completely in soldier mode.   
“We take the north corner staircase and it’ll take us straight there. However that’s most like riddled with Cybermen so there’s the only alternative and it’s the lift.” He said pointing in the opposite direction to which they came.  
“Oh you’re good.” The Doctor exclaimed and Sherlock nodded.  
“I know.” John pulled up his hand and kissed his knuckles and the man visibly relaxed to both Rose’s and the Doctor’s coy amusement.  
“Intruders located calling all forces to section 13 junction 8.” A robotic voice echoed down from the hall they had just been down and they all looked at each other before kicking off into a sprint in the other direction. At the T junction at the end of the corridor Sherlock took a left and the others followed only to find that direction were swarming with the troops and he pushed them back the other way looping around the corridors and realising they were being closed in pulled John into a tight embrace,  
“I’ll find you. Stay safe, love.” He whispered into John’s ear before pushing him into a room and breaking the handle. John looked at the small room with only a few abandoned computers and turned around instantly to try the handle and find it jammed.  
“Sherlock!” He yelled and banged on the door as quick footsteps rapidly dissipated.   
Outside the door Sherlock steeled himself and kept running onwards leading the Cybermen after them. The Doctor and Rose were still behind him,  
“Fawn over sentimentalities later. John is safe; that is all that matters.” He told them as he kept up pace and they found themselves at the west corner staircase and all three of them burst through. He started heading down and stopped dead a floor down motioning them to stop as well.   
“Shush.” He held his hand to his lips and Rose looked as if she were about to speak but the doors upstairs opened and heavy boots that echoed in the corridors carried on up the floors. Once it was quiet again with distant pounding of boots Sherlock sighed and opened the door into the basement looking either side and walking out into the corridor. He realised the other two were eyeing him curiously.  
“What?” He asked testily.  
“You left him on a floor full of those things and didn’t think they’d find him.” Rose said sounding angry whilst Sherlock stopped short and spun on his heels.  
“They believe we are running towards the control centre of this tower and are doing everything to follow us by the time John figures out how to escape that room that floor will be well clear of Cybermen in the masses which also gives us a clear way of getting to the top floors via the lift shaft easily because they will be going up and down looking for us all so don’t you even dare accuse me of putting him in direct danger. I have enough of it from the humans, I do not need it from aliens.” He snarled at her and the Doctor stepped between them with a peaceful, if inquisitive, face.  
“How’d you guess we’re alien?” Sherlock stood up straight clearly showing the height difference between them.  
“I don’t guess. You knew about the Cybermen yet didn’t know anything of Lumic. Also there’s the clear over-abundance of enthusiasm for mine and John’s relationship yet cluelessness which suggests that you aren’t of this world because it has been public knowledge for quite some time that John is mine, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Either you’ve been living under a rock, or you’re not of this world but still know a little of our history.” The Doctor and Rose looked between themselves and made a silent agreement.  
“I’m Time lord, she’s human just from another universe.” He admitted and Sherlock nodded unimpressed.  
“Parallel, there’s always something.” He muttered pursing his lips and turning around again.  
“Do not second guess my love of John again or I will lead you right to them.” He warned and carried on and Rose looked at the Doctor who couldn’t give an honest answer is that was true or not so shrugged and nodded for them to carry on. They managed to get to the lift without meeting any unwanted company but the problem was getting into the shaft. Practically impossible with the actual lift itself so Sherlock pressed the button. Which literally set off alarm bells and so they ended running again. Except this time it was around an entire underground station with massive cooling tankers and plenty of places to lose each other.   
All four of them were split up from each other within an hour of breaching into Cybus Industries.


	9. Chapter 9

The Doctor ending up actually inside the lift and managed to close it with his screwdriver before they got to him. When the lift was manually stopped he climbed out and went along with the original plan of climbing up the shaft. Unfortunately on completion of climbing up the shaft he used the sonic to open the lift doors and was met by five Cybermen all in a row with their hands outstretched.  
   “Sensors detect a binary vascular system. You are an unknown upgrade. You will be taken for analysis.” The middle one said and stepped aside and the Doctor slipping his sonic inside his jacket continued on with two in front and three in the back.

Rose managed to double back and crossing from floor to floor via the staircases on all corners managing to make her way up the building dodging the Cybermen as she went. It wasn’t until she was three floors down they figured out her plan and managed to cut off all of the staircases and corner her. She was a cross junction and all four corridors had three Cybermen blocking her escape.   
   “Oh god…” She whispered as they all took a step forward like wolves circling in on their prey but it wasn’t intent on scaring the prey which made it all that more terrifying.  
   “Wait!” A voice she recognised instantly echoed from behind the corridor to the northern staircase and the forces parted to show Pete Tyler himself (still human) walking toward them.  
   “She has been a necessary asset to the creation of the Cyber species, she will be taken to the Cyber-controller with me for voluntary upgrade.” He said and motioned her over.   
   “Confirmed.” They said escorting them towards the lift.  
   “What are you doing?” She whispered to Pete.  
   “They killed Jackie. I can’t let them get you too…I don’t know why you’re different but you are.” Rose shuddered a breath and nodded solemnly.  
   “Thanks.” She mumbled and he smiled to one side.  
   “Maybe I’ve got a thing for blondes.” Rose let out a little chuckle as they were put in the lift with two Cybermen and sent straight up.

Sherlock had managed to go back to the floor he’d left John on after splitting up with the Doctor he crept along the corridors and made sure to be aware of his surroundings. He found himself back at the room were John had been last and he knocked on it gently.  
   “John, it’s me.” He said softly and listened intently for movement.  
   “I know you’re angry but now isn’t the appropriate time to be silent. Give me any noise.” There was still nothing and Sherlock sighed,   
   “Already escaped…earlier than expected.” He muttered resigning and turning around to find a Cyberman turning the corner and he turned around to run to find two were already approaching in that direction. He held up his hands in surrender and they stood five feet in a semi-circle around him.  
   “Sensors detect increase brain power of 14% usage. Your intelligence will enhance our species. You will be taken to the Lumic unit.” He was told and one turned around and started off towards the nearest lift whilst the other two followed behind.

John hadn’t sat still for long. He was furious with Sherlock and at the same time couldn’t stay completely mad at the bastard because he meant well so ended up being pissed at himself and Sherlock. He paced up and down the room and supressed his anger as he had done many times before and looked around the room for escape routes. The only door was the one he’d been pushed through. It was really more of a large closet. Four desks sit either side of him in twos all of which had a computer on. He thought about kicking the door but ignored the idea instantly as he realised that was the quickest way to get caught. He leaned against one of the desks regaining his breath and studied the room. He tapped along the walls and found them all to sound the same so there was no hidden exit. After a while he tried to figure just what the reason was for this room was. He checked the computer and found out they were fake and then he really looked at the room. The walls weren’t hiding anything, because they were all hollow, all of them were fake and fairly easy to peel back and bring him into another room which looked quite uneasily like one of Sherlock’s labs. So it must’ve been Chemistry and finally he found one. A small black box which had three prongs that obviously connected to something. It was were the initial emotional inhibitors were made which meant they must have used that room to test them.

That was when the door opened to reveal two Cybermen. Steeling himself he put the box down and squared his shoulders to the metal men.  
   “You are unidentifiable on the data base. You will state your name and rank.” Swallowing to clear his throat he held up his head.  
   “Doctor John H. Watson, Captain of the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers.” He told them and they took a minute to respond as looking for him in their files.  
   “You have military experience but have been wounded in combat and rendered useless. With your upgrade you will be able to fight once again. Doctor is a redundant title. Doctors need not exist. Cybermen never sicken. We will use your experience to empower the Cyber race and download your experience into every Cybermen. You will be perfected. You will be upgraded.” The one on the right explained and John held a military stance that would make Sholto proud.   
   “And if I don’t cooperate?” He said.  
   “You will be rewarded by force.” The left said simply and John blinked three times rapidly to get rid of the rising tears because he really didn’t see a way out of this.  
   “I will willingly upgrade if you let me make one final phone call as a human. Agreed?” He asked them both and after 32 seconds they both responded,  
   “Confirmed.” Taking out his phone he started out of the corridor and made his call.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I should prepare you. Painful.

Sherlock was led into a room with both the Doctor, Rose and Pete sat by a long desk of built in monitors. He instantly felt smug that John was uncaptured, it didn’t occur to him for second that John was unimportant enough to not be brought here. He nodded a greeting to the others and took a position by their side. The nearest docking point was at the other side of the room and they would not be able to get there without some difficulty. Stalling it was. The Doctor’s pocket buzzed and he slipped his hand in and pressed the cancel button.  
   “Where is he then, Mr Lumic? Don’t we get a chance to meet our lord and master?” The Doctor spoke sardonically as the walls opened with a gush of air and rather overdramatically a seated Cyberman with a visible brain slid out from the wall.  
   “I have been upgraded. I am superior. This is the Age of Steel and I am its creator. The Cyber Controller.” He proclaimed and the Doctor chuckled looking back at Rose with a smile that gave her confidence. Sherlock knew the tactic well.  
   “Superior in what way?” Rose chimed in lifting her head. ‘ _Good she isn’t as dull as most people and understands what stalling means.’_ Sherlock thought folding his arms over his chest and for once staying quiet until he could be useful.  
   “I will bring peace to the world. Everlasting peace and unity and uniformity.” He said in his slightly altered robotic tone just to assert he was different from the others.  
   “And imagination? What about that? The one thing that lead you here, imagination, you’re killing it dead!” He was shouting but it was less angry and more incredulous accusatory.  
   “Imagination is irrelevant. We will need not improve. We do not die. We do not age. We are perfection.” Lumic explained and Sherlock did see the perks of it and were he without John might’ve even considered it.  
   “Yeah, but that’s it. That’s exactly the point! Oh, Lumic, you’re a clever man. I’d call you a genius, except I’m in the room. But everything you’ve invented, you did to fight your sickness. And that’s brilliant. That is so human. But once you get rid of sickness and mortality, then what’s there to strive for, eh? The Cybermen won’t advance. You’ll just stop. You’ll stay like this forever. A metal Earth with metal men and metal thoughts, lacking the one thing that makes this planet so alive. People. Ordinary, stupid, brilliant people.” The Doctor exclaimed with such vibrancy that Sherlock really did have to take his previous thought and bury it in dust because how boring would this world be without emotions?   
   “You are proud of your emotions.” He stated rather than asked.  
   “Oh, yes.” The Doctor managed to confirm his firmness without ever losing his light tone.   
   “Then tell me, Doctor. Have you known grief, and rage, and pain?” Finally a question.  
   “Yes. Yes I have.” He didn’t even try to lie.   
   “And they hurt?” The machine asked.   
   “Oh, yes.” He was so jubilant in his explanation. Like the way Sherlock would deduce a crime scene it was almost unnerving to meet someone who could par his intelligence.   
   “I could set you free. Would you not want that? A life without pain?” The machine called and Sherlock couldn’t take it anymore he was physically shaking with his anger.  
   “Pathetic.” He growled.   
   “Emotions have brought us here and now you deign yourself above them. Is there no end to this tediousness?” Sherlock spoke up and moved forward off of the desks and looking the metal thing.   
   “How have emotions brought us here?” The robot almost sounded offended but of course that may have just been the question.  
   “You were scared of death. _Scared._ So you created a monstrosity and put yourself inside it. John would be so dull as to call you Frankenstein and I’d be inclined to agree.” He spoke quickly and with no amount of dullness in his intensity of hatred of the motion.  
    “Would you not be improved without emotion? Such a brain, Mr Holmes. As brilliant as yours the world would be at our mercy.” Sherlock’s lip curled.  
   “But the world would be so boring. Emotions make other people interesting. Murderers, thieves, adulterers. Being in control is one thing destroying those you are controlling takes the fun out of it. With my intellect you could take over the universe, but that would be so _boring._ ” He growled in contempt and beside him the Doctor’s face looked at him with a little bit of worry.   
   “Emotions destroy people. With your mind and my soldiers we will be unbeatable. Show them platoon number one.” The Cyber Control ordered and one of the sliding doors opened to reveal seven Cybermen following each other in a row.  
   “All of these soldiers were human soldiers.” Lumic told them.  
   “Their experience will profit the Cyber Race. Tell them your rank.” He ordered once more and each Cyber held their hand to their plated chests.  
   “Lieutenant.”   
   “General.”  
   “Colonel.”  
   “Captain.”  
   “Major.”  
   “Brigadier.”  
   “Field Marshal.” All of them said from left to right and Sherlock stood there looking rather unimpressed.  
   “They were invalid. Useless to their country. I have given them life once more.” The machine spoke as if he were telling them the time of day.  
   “And their names?” Rose asked before all seven responded.  
   “Irrelevant.” They said in synchronisation.  
   “Don’t you care what they’ve done to you?” She asked ever the compassionate.  
   “Emotions are irrelevant. We are superior.” All seven of them said like it was practiced verse.  
   “Tedious.” Sherlock spat and the one in the middle stepped forward against the crowd surprising all four of the people in the room.  
   “You are Sherlock Holmes. Confirm.” It said taller than Sherlock.  
   “Confirm.” He said rolling his eyes.   
   “My name was Captain John Watson.” Everything was destroyed.


	11. Chapter 11

Sherlock made a broken noise as blood drained from his face. His mouth trembled open and his lungs stopped working. This was crushingly quickly followed by the rest of his organs and his body shut down. With a voice so small it was barely audible he whispered a faint,  
   “John…” He didn’t even register his own tears until he felt them drench his neck as his scarf absorbed them. His face was numb. His throat closed up painfully tight and that pain moved slowly but agonisingly down his throat, spreading into his lungs and then seemingly streaming into his blood due to how quickly every inch of his body was a light with pain. Pulsing through him over and over again. Around and around his vascular system alighting everything he had with _hurt._  
   “What have…you done…to _him_?” He asked unable to control how weak he sounded.  
   “John Watson has been ungraded.” The machine – _John –_ in front of him supplied.   
   “But _I_ am the one who is supposed to be a machine.” His hands came up out of their accord and clenched the handles in front of him as he looked at the towering thing before him.   
   “Return to your position soldier.” The Lumic unit ordered and John reversed back into line forcibly making Sherlock let go as he tried to cope with the unmeasurable pain hitting every part of his body at that moment. His hands were still outstretched halfway down to his sides as his body hunched.  
   “Do you see what emotions have done to you?” Lumic asked and something changed inside of Sherlock. Pain turned to anger and with the absolute pounding of every blood vessel within him that anger could have been enough to power a star into supernova. His posture changed into a straight back his twitching fists by his sides and short sharp breaths.   
   “You. Have made. An Error.” He stated fury controlling him. When he turned around there weren’t any need for words as the Doctor already had Sherlock’s phone in hand as he brought up the cancellation code.  
   “What is that?” The Lumic controller asked as Sherlock turned.  
   “ **YOU TOOK AWAY THE ONE THING THAT MADE ME HUMAN AND NOW I WILL NOT STOP UNTIL YOU AND YOUR PATHETIC RACE ARE BURIED IN DUST!** ” He bellowed to the whole room as he strode across it to the docking point he’d been planning to sneak his way over to before when he should have just gone straight for it.   
   “Look at what you have become.” He told the room of Cybermen as he plugged in the phone. Most of them collapsed and the entire place went into chaos.

Sherlock still unable to really control his hands grabbed his phone and shakily went straight over to John.  
   “With me John.” He pleaded taking the other’s ‘hand’ and pulling him along. The Doctor, Rose and Pete all started running out only to realise the whole place was going into meltdown.  
   “The roof!” The Doctor shouted and they all made it to Lumic’s blimp. The first three went up and Sherlock was adamant not to let go. They got halfway up the silver staircase when a mad machine clamped down on John’s arm. Sherlock was hauled to a stop when John abruptly let go of his hand to see the Cyber-form John turn around and clamp both hands beside Lumic’s brain and electrify it.  
   “You are no leader.” His robotic voice stated as the machine cried out in agony and fell backwards on the stairs. Sherlock tugged his arm and pulled him up the rest of the way into the blimp where the Doctor was taking the helm and Rose and Pete were looking solemnly at Sherlock.   
   “What have they done to me?” The voice sounded weak and desolate, not at all like John Watson. Sherlock stood in front of him and clamped his hands on John’s handles.  
   “Listen to me, I will find a solution to this. I don’t care how long it takes, John…I just…we didn’t get enough time and I can’t lose you yet.” John stared straight ahead motionless as a single tear dropped down his face.  
   “I am already dead. I feel nothing but cold.” The voice crackled and Sherlock shook his head.  
   “No. You’re here, look at me. You’re stronger than this, so don’t you dare give up on me now, don’t you dare.” Sherlock was breaking down all over again, the anger was dissipating and all it did was return to pain that his John had been taken and stripped and turned into the machine before him.   
   “Sherlock…it’s cold.” It said. Sherlock clenched his fist _‘He.’_  
   “No. I know you’re alive because you turned around and killed Lumic. You saved our lives. That is John Watson. This is all my fault…” He pressed letting himself fall against John’s cold chest because it hurt so much to see this and he was worried his legs weren’t going to hold him for much longer. John did not stabilise him, he didn’t move his arms and wrap them around him; he was unable to comfort. He did not know how to comfort.  
   “I’ll bring you back. No matter what it takes, I’ll bring you back.” Sherlock vowed more to himself than John because this couldn’t be it.  
   “Not your fault. Love. You were protecting. I am so cold…” Sherlock shook and clutched the arms of John as a voice spoke up.   
   “You can’t…The process is irreversible. I’m sorry Sherlock but what’s done is done. He’s gone.” The Doctor told him from behind putting the ship on autopilot having safely gotten them away from the burning factory. Sherlock visibly winced and deflected with anger.  
   “NO! I refuse to believe I cannot save John!” He yelled shaking against the metal structure.  
   “I’m cold…Hurts. Sherlock…please…Cold.” Sherlock looked up at the incessant ramblings.  
   “What is it?” He asked panicking.  
   “I told you, they’ll go insane. I guess he lasted this long because he had you but no-one could stand this kind of torture. Not forever.” The Doctor explained and Sherlock took deep breaths trying to calm himself like he did when he was a child.  
   “Voicemail…hurts…cold…Sherlock. Sherlock. Sherlock.” He repeated it three times with increasing intensity each time like he was calling out for him.  
   “Stop John please stop! We can solve this. We always solve this!” He started pounding against the machine and then he let his hands pull at his hair before he scratched down his face.  
   “Doctor…do something.” Rose pleaded and he stepped forward.  
   “I can help him Sherlock. I can make him stop. But…he won’t ever wake up.” Sherlock’s face scrunched up as flaming tears ran down his face. John started rambling again and this time didn’t stop as his voice crackled even more and sounded even more agonised like he was being tortured inside that metal box. Sherlock watched it with a blurred vision but it hurt all the same and he let out a broken noise.  
   “I can save him from this…” Sherlock said eventually in a broken, defeated voice he’d never once in his life used.   
   “Tell me how to save him from this.” He said gesturing to the full length of his body and the rest all shared glances.  
   “If there’s going to be pain John should never have to take it so tell me how to make it stop!” Sherlock shouted and the Doctor moved into action pulling the Cyber John to lie on a dining table like he was in a stupidly long operating theatre. The Doctor opened his Cybus Plate and handed Sherlock the Sonic.  
   “Just push the button as you push it into his chest. It’ll put him to sleep.” Sherlock looked at the flesh that was once John’s as it coated the plate and ran a tentative hand over it. He took in a deep breath as he put that hand into John’s.  
   “Leave.” He said and heard three sets of footsteps exit.

Sherlock raised the device in his hand with a shaky grip.  
   “John…please…for five minutes…bear with the pain just talk to me again…please, give me this, I beg of you.” He clenched it so tightly he thought his might break the fingers off and finally the incessant babbling slowed and stopped.  
   “Sherlock…” The broken pained voice said.  
   “I’m going to make it stop, you’ll be okay, don’t worry. The pain will be gone soon. Can…” He sighed deeply.  
   “Can you feel my hand, John?” He asked and an incoherent noise came from the blue strip before John properly answered.  
   “No. All I feel is cold.” Sherlock stopped himself from letting out any noise from his tight throat. Breathing deep and long he managed to speak again.  
   “It’s okay, I just need to tell you that I love you.” He closed his eyes trying not to cry.  
   “I love you too.” Sherlock nodded as his hand trembled with the pain spreading from the sonic.  
   “Shush…Goodbye, my John.” He managed to choke out before he pushed the screwdriver into the chest cavity and the last word he heard was a slurred:  
   “Sherlock…” Taking out the screwdriver he let it drop to the floor and he slid to his knees. Horrible agony pulsed through his solar plexus as his arms became dead weights. After a moment he slips his hand into his pocket and draws out his wallet. Pulling out the only photo he’s ever truly been sentimental over he tossed the leather pocket away and looked at the picture. In it Sherlock was trying to supress a smile whilst John had one hand around his waist and the other tangled into Sherlock’s curls making sure Sherlock was looking directly at him as he kissed him. Sherlock let his hand drop again as he closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the table.

In the other room the three people looked at each with sullen faces and Pete had to sit down because he understood completely what Sherlock was experiencing except Sherlock had to watch his love die twice. Rose sidled up to the Doctor who was at the helm again and without words wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and buried her head in his chest. The Doctor wrapped an arm around her waist and rested his head against the top of hers and closed his eyes in respect.


	12. Chapter 12

The morning after London was looking at the aftermath of what had happened, people were going through their broken into homes, cleaning up the broken machines, and people were grieving for lost loved ones. One of Mycroft’s many car took John’s ‘body’ away when they’d made to land (crash) the blimp. Right then they were outside the Doctor’s TARDIS by Thames and he was fiddling with the door as he waited for Rose to finish up with who Sherlock presumed to be her father in the other universe. Sherlock marched forward, he had to ask.  
   “You have to tell me…in your universe…is John…are we…” He bit his lip and sighed.  
   “Is he happy?” He shuddered out a breath using years of emotional control to stay upright and almost passive.   
   “I’m not sure I should tell you…you can’t come with us, you don’t belong in my world.” The Doctor said glancing at Rose and Sherlock furrowed his brows.  
   “Rose is obviously offering to bring Pete into your world. Just tell me if he’s happy _I have to know._ ” He pushed and the Doctor held up his hands in resignation.  
   “In my universe you aren’t real…Neither of you are. You’re fictional characters from a book wrote by Arthur Conan Doyle.” He admitted looking hesitant and Sherlock smirked.  
   “My father is called Arthur. John’s mother’s maiden name was Doyle. The universe is rarely lazy, wouldn’t you agree?” The Doctor smiled to one side.  
   “Are we…do we…in these books, what happens?” The Doctor sighed because he knew what Sherlock wanted to ask.  
   “In the end you’re both living together in a cottage in Sussex, you keep bees and he writes his memoirs of your adventures together. They’re set in late Victorian London early 1900’s so it’s never said if you actually…you know…well…anyway, you’re both _‘confirmed bachelors’_ if that helps…” Sherlock’s smirk slowly spread into a full blown fond smile.  
   “I think…” He visibly relaxed.  
   “No, I know that any place where John is by my side, then that place is a good ending.” He nodded in his assertion and The Doctor held out his hand out of respect for the man which was taken and shaken gently before letting go.  
   “Look after her, it’s crushing to see them die…Trust me on this.” Sherlock warned seriously putting his leather gloves on and the Doctor became serious too.  
   “I will.” He promised himself more than Sherlock and the man nodded a goodbye before stepping back.   
   “You’ll want to see this Sherlock.” The Doctor grinned at him and beckoned Rose over who looked a little sad as her ‘father’ walked away. Sherlock watched in rare astonishment as the TARDIS literally disappeared before him and made a deafening noise. After a moment he took off one of his gloves again and holding it to the warm patch the TARDIS was a moment before.  
   “That’s new.” He remarked before his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out expecting it to be Mycroft but it was a reminder that he’d missed a call. Furrowing his eyebrows he pulled up the call screen and almost dropped the phone when he saw the title:   
‘John Holmes’   
Sherlock had been guilty of prepping to ask John for his hand for months and had actually gone as far to change his name on his phone because he liked it and even if John had said no he would’ve kept it. John was his. His stomach lurched at the thought of _‘was’._ With trembling hands he clicked on his voicemail and held it to his ear.  
   “Sherlock…” His hand trembled as the voice resonated.  
   “I’m so sorry love, they’ve found me. I managed to convince them to let me make a phone call. Like a death wish…” John’s chuckle was weak, short and mirthless.   
   “I…god…I’ve no idea how long I have. I just have to let you know how much I love you. You have no idea my love, I can’t believe I’m leaving you like this. If you hear this before you put in the code don’t you dare not put that phone in…you know I won’t want to even begin to live like this. Don’t blame yourself either, I should’ve waited but oh no I had to explore the fake walls.” He warned and tried to be light as Sherlock smiled; at least he’d done one thing right with the cancellation.  
   “I know you said you weren’t a hero but damn it Sherlock you are to me and I can’t strain enough how much I love you. Do me a favour and don’t…revert back to who you were pre-me. I’ve heard enough horror stories to even think about you becoming that again.” John audibly shuddered then laughed a little incredulously.  
   “My dear Holmes, I think we’re close…” He was choking up.  
   “Oh god…goodbye my Sherlock…” He was crying Sherlock could tell.  
   “I love you…” Sherlock was shaking and a metal voice boomed behind John.  
   “God…Sherlock…I love you. I love you. I love you.” The phone was cut off abruptly and that was it that was the last thing Sherlock heard the love of his life say and he forgot how to breathe again. Hyperventilating in the middle of the path he reached out for anything to grab onto and an arm appeared beside him.  
   “Come with me, little brother.” He openly choked out a sobbed and for the first time since he was eight years old cried into his brother’s chest.  

End.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little Author Note: this fiction killed me.


End file.
